Old Bell food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · St Albans City
Old Bell holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 19 September 2024, 21 months ago. That is getting on for the longest gap councils usually leave, so the score may not reflect how the business is run today.
Address: 177 Luton Road, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 3BN
How it compares in St Albans City
That puts Old Bell among the 818 places in St Albans City holding top marks, 77% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 818 | 77% | ← Old Bell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 157 | 15% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 63 | 6% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 10 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 0 | 0% |
A further 105 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At Old Bell none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to Old Bell, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harpenden Bethesda Home Caring Premises | 280 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| Bright Horizons Harpenden Luton Road Day Nursery Caring Premises | 424 yards away | 5 - Very good | 2 April 2025 |
| Roundwood Park School Canteen School/college/university | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 4 July 2024 |
| Connect Catering Ltd catering @ St Hilda's School School/college/university | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 June 2025 |
| Hertfordshire Catering Limited Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 17 July 2025 |
| Spire Hospital Caring Premises | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 26 April 2025 |
| Harpenden Day Nursery and Preschool Caring Premises | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 September 2025 |
| St George's School School/college/university | 0.6 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 July 2025 |
Questions about Old Bell
What is Old Bell's food hygiene rating?
Old Bell has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by St Albans City Council on 19 September 2024.
Is Old Bell safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was Old Bell last inspected?
Old Bell was last inspected on 19 September 2024, 21 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by St Albans City Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at Old Bell?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does Old Bell compare to other places in St Albans City?
77% of the 1,058 rated food businesses in St Albans City hold the top rating of 5, and Old Bell is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
St Albans City Council inspects Old Bell and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch Old Bell and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Old Bell is one of 193 rated food businesses in Harpenden. See every hygiene rating in Harpenden →
St Albans City inspects and rates 1,163 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in St Albans City →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/business/Health-and-safety/food-safety/foodHygieneRating.aspx
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →